1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to multi-step chemical mechanical polishing processes and, more particularly, to a wafer carrier rinsing mechanism.
2. Related Art
Chemical-mechanical polishing (hereinafter "CMP"), is a common method of planarization used in semiconductor manufacture. CMP typically involves the use of a circular polishing pad, mounted to a polishing table or platen, which is held in contact with the surface of the semiconductor wafer via a carrier. An abrasive slurry, typically water-based, is applied to the surface of the polishing pad to facilitate and enhance polishing of the wafer. During a polishing process, both the polishing pad and wafer are rotated relative to one another. As a result, unwanted material is removed from the surface of the wafer, producing a planarized surface. Once complete, the wafer can be transported to a subsequent processing step, e.g., a secondary polishing operation, or a cleaning process.
However, after a polishing operation, residual foreign materials tend to remain on the surface of the polished wafer, which in turn can lead to cross contamination with subsequent processing steps. Because each subsequent processing step can be adversely affected by residual foreign materials from a previous step, failure to adequately reduce such contamination can lead to higher costs. Furthermore, eliminating the cross contamination is becoming more and more vital as the level of precision required for higher integrated circuit (IC) device densities increases. Accordingly, a need exists for improved tools for eliminating cross contamination in CMP processing.